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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Visits from Purgatory	Thomas	Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Question: I watched a Catholic interview program the other day that left me wondering, confused, and unsettled. I'm sure many of your readers may have seen it. The guests were two priests and a laywoman who claimed to be receiving "visits" from souls in purgatory, some known to them, others not. They further claimed that God, not the souls by their own power, arranged or allowed these visits so the souls could beg these individuals for masses, rosaries, prayers, good works, etc., to obtain their release. Although I believe in prayer for the dead, some of their ideas seemed to border on superstition if not worse. I find it hard to believe God would make a particular living person "responsible," so to speak, for a specific and possibly unknown other person's purgatory. Is this authentic Catholic teaching? We all have departed loved ones....how can we ever know if we are doing enough for them?
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD Dear Thomas: It is possible in God's loving mercy to allow some in purgatory to visit the earth. When that happens it is certainly a time to pray for them. See our essay, Seven Kinds of Ghosts for details. I am not aware, however, of any purgatorial visitations speaking to people. If these priests and laywoman are visited by souls in purgatory on a regular basis I would have some doubts about that. It is not that God may not call upon these people to have a ministry to souls in purgatory, and there is nothing against Catholic teaching in it per se, but is very unusual. Visitations from purgatory, as far as I am aware, are rare. As with any spiritual experiences these people need to be under spiritual direction. If these people are making known their experiences publicly then they need to be under discernment from their bishop in my opinion. In any event, this is a form of private revelation, thus no one has to believe in it, but we must be open to the possibilities as God is God and we cannot limit His will. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Visits from Purgatory

Thomas

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Question:

I watched a Catholic interview program the other day that left me wondering, confused, and unsettled. I'm sure many of your readers may have seen it. The guests were two priests and a laywoman who claimed to be receiving "visits" from souls in purgatory, some known to them, others not. They further claimed that God, not the souls by their own power, arranged or allowed these visits so the souls could beg these individuals for masses, rosaries, prayers, good works, etc., to obtain their release.

Although I believe in prayer for the dead, some of their ideas seemed to border on superstition if not worse. I find it hard to believe God would make a particular living person "responsible," so to speak, for a specific and possibly unknown other person's purgatory. Is this authentic Catholic teaching?

We all have departed loved ones....how can we ever know if we are doing enough for them?

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD

Dear Thomas:

It is possible in God's loving mercy to allow some in purgatory to visit the earth. When that happens it is certainly a time to pray for them. See our essay, Seven Kinds of Ghosts for details.

I am not aware, however, of any purgatorial visitations speaking to people. If these priests and laywoman are visited by souls in purgatory on a regular basis I would have some doubts about that. It is not that God may not call upon these people to have a ministry to souls in purgatory, and there is nothing against Catholic teaching in it per se, but is very unusual. Visitations from purgatory, as far as I am aware, are rare.

As with any spiritual experiences these people need to be under spiritual direction. If these people are making known their experiences publicly then they need to be under discernment from their bishop in my opinion.

In any event, this is a form of private revelation, thus no one has to believe in it, but we must be open to the possibilities as God is God and we cannot limit His will.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum